Condiment holder and dispenser



Sept. 11, 1956 N. D. COLLORA 2,762,533

CONDIMENT HOLDER AND DISPENSER Filed March 12, 1954 INVENTOR. N \CHOLAS D.C.ou.oan

United States Patent CONDIME'NT HOLDER AND DISPENSER Nicholas D. Collora, Plainfield, N. J.

Application March 12, 1954, Serial No. 415,821

2 Claims. (Cl. 222-1962) The invention relates to condiment holding and dispensing devices, and more especially to that class of holders which are provided with an automatically actuated closure member.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a condiment holder and dispenser with automatically actuated means for closing the dispensing openings to preclude the entrance of the ambient atmosphere into the container during periods of nonuse.

Another object of this invention is to provide valve or stopper means for the device which is automatically moved to its closed position across the discharge openings when the dispenser is not in use, the means being positive in operation and noncomplex in construction.

A further object of this invention is to provide a condiment holder and dispensing device with a closure member for the dispensing openings, the closure member automatically opening upon inversion of the holder.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a combined dispensing cap and stopper means for a condiment holder.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device of the type to which reference has been made which does not require the observation of close tolerances during the manufacture thereof whereby the cost-s of production are held to a minimum.

This invention also contemplates the provision of a device of the type described which may be produced and assembled by unskilled labor, and which may be constructed of inexpensive materials.

As a still further object of this invention it is proposed to provide a condiment holder and dispensing device of the type described which is durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunctiion with the annexed drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a condiment holder and dispensing device constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the vertical plane of line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the horizontal plane of line 33 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows showing the closure means in its closed position; and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3, showing the condiment holder and dispensing device in its inverted position with the closure member moved to its open position.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, reference numeral 1 designates, in general, a condiment holder and dispensing device constructed in accordance with this invention. The device 1 comprises a condiment holding compartment 2 defined by a circular base 3 from the circumference of which arises the conical wall 4 which makes a threaded connection at 5 with the lower ice end of the conical wall 6 of the dispenser cap. The conical wall 6 merges at its upper end with a circular wall 7 positioned substantially parallel to the base 3 and from which depends (as viewed in Figure 2) a substantially hollow cylindrical casing 8 integral and concentric therewith. The casing 8 has an internal threaded lower end adapted to connect at 9 with the externally threaded end of a cover plate 10. As seen in Figures 2 and 4, an annular chamber 11 is formed between the casing 8 and the conical wall 6. A plurality of radially spaced openings 12 are formed in the wall 7 externally of the casing 8 but proximate thereto. I

A substantially cylindrical weight 13 is loosely mounted for reciprocation in the casing 8 and is provided with a shaft 14 which projects coaxially from one side thereof and is passed loosely through an opening 15 concentrically located in the wall 7. The outer end of the shaft 14 is centrally threaded at 16 into a substantially circuin close member 17, which extends across the openings 12. The underside of the closure member 17 is provided with a circular liner 18 formed of cork -or similar material and is coextensive therewith.

The condiment holder and dispensing device 1, illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, illustrates the closure member 17 and its liner 18 in closed position, the member and liner having been moved to this position by the force exerted on the weight 13.

Upon inversion of the device 1 to the position shown in Figure 4, the condiment passes from the compartment 2 to the annular chamber 11 and is discharged through the openings 12 behind the liner 18 and closure member 17. In this case, the weight 13 has moved in the casing 8 from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 4 under the force of gravity and engages against the adjacent portion of the wall 7. As a consequence of this movement, the closure member 17 and its liner 18 are moved away from the openings 12 to permit discharge of the condiment.

Upon return of the device 1 to the position shown in Figure l, the force of gravity acting on the weight 13 returns the member and its liner to close the openings 12.

In the event some of the condiment enters the casing 8 through the opening 15, the accumulated matter may be removed by unscrewing the cover plate 10, so that the cover plate, in effect, defines a clean-out plug.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention in detail, it is to 'be understood that the same is offered by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A condiment holder and dispensing device comprising a substantially hollow receptacle having spaced substantially parallel top and base walls, said top wall having a depending cylindrical casing having an open lower end, a cover plate closing said end and having an upstanding boss removably secured within said lower end to define a clean-out plug, said top wall having a plurality of circularly spaced openings formed therein surrounding said casing externally thereof, a closure member normally supported on said top wall and extending across said openings, a liner carried by said member adapted to seat upon said top wall to close said openings, means disposed within said casing connected with said closure member to alternately move said closure member to its open position away from said openings when said receptacle is inverted from its normal position and to return said member to its closed position upon returning said receptacle to its normal position, and means for introducing said condiment into said receptacle.

2. A condiment holder and dispensing device comprising a receptacle having opposed open and closed ends, a cap having a' top wall and an opposed open end releasably secured on the open end of said receptacle With said open end of the cap arranged in communication with the open endof said receptacle, a cylindrical casing having an open bottom end depending'ly' carried by said top wall and projecting into the interior of said cap, a cover plate having a central upstanding boss thereon, said boss adapted for releasable engagement in said open bottom of the casing to close said open bottom end and along with said cover plate to define a clean-out plug for said casing, said top wall having a plurality of peripherally spaced openings formed therein externally of and surrounding said casing, a cylindrical weight mounted for reciprocation in said casing, said top wall having an opening formed therein coaxially aligned with said casing, a shaft having one end thereof secured to said weight and having the other end thereof projecting through said last-named opening, a closure member extending across said top wall, and means detachab'ly securing said memher to said other end of said shaft so that said closure member Will be movable therewith from a normal position in Which said closure member closes said openings in said top Wall to an open position in Which said closure member is spaced from said top wall When said receptacle is inverted from its normal position, and said closure member adapted to return into its normal closing position under the influence of said'Weight When the receptacle is returned to its normal position,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,221,630 Trautman Apr. 3, 1917 1,328,447 Palmer Jan. 20, 1920 1,533,582 Di Bernardi Apr. 14, 1925 1,700,350 Daniek Jan. 29, 1929 1,957,962 Hyatt May 8, 1934 2,558,442 Kasin June 26, 1951 2,579,899 Burrows Dec. 25, 1951 

